Item Details

REXROTH, Kenneth.

Portrait of My Wife.

A figurative painting of Rexroth’s second wife, Marie (Kass) Rexroth. Rexroth’s notes indicate the date and title of the painting, and include: “hair – orange, dress – green.” Reminiscent of Matisse, the piece is not entirely representational, as the portrait shows distortions in the disposition of Marie’s body (the angles of her legs and arms, the relation of Marie to the chair, and the chair to the room), and includes an abstract painting in the upper left corner, which carries a typical motif of Rexroth’s work, a magnet turned on its side with two circles set in opposition. Cracks in the paint in a few places, few flecks out of the red paint of the hair, a couple of tiny chips in the black of the dress, otherwise in fine condition. Wax, silica, and pure decorator colors on wooden board, 15 5/8” wide x 17 3/4" high, ca. 1936, with notes on the back in white chalk: “Marie Rexroth”, and the date “1935” or “1936”, framed by Rexroth.